Blasting method and apparatus



June 15, 1937. w, NOBLE 2,083,737

BLASTING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed June 1, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 w'nmuhML June 15, 1937. w NQBVLE 2,083,737

BLASTING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed June 1, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 51 My:75 60 as 64 f I V/ A 65 66 7 7 73 (72% 60/ 63 142294971534 ;9-ZMMWZMZZQ z JAM Am Patented June 15, 1937 UNITED STATES BLASTING METHODAND APPARATUS Application June 1, 1935, Serial No. 24,570

18 Claims.

My invention relates to material breaking methods and apparatus, andmore particularly to improvements in methods of and apparatus forcontrolling the release of the blasting charge ,from blasting cartridgesof the type in which high pressure gas is employed as the blastingmedium. A very useful method of breaking down or fracturing materialemploys in the place of explosives a shell disposable in a hole in thematerial to be 1, fractured and comprising a. chamber in which a actingon the larger pressure area is released, to

open the charge release valve means and hold it ,open notwithstandingthe sudden and very great reduction in storage chamber pressure whichim- ,mediately ensues. The smaller area has communication with thestorage chamber which per- ,mits ready passage of chamber pressure tothe area, but precludes reverse flow when the parts are in chargingposition, and provides for only arestricted bleeding upon chargerelease, and

. thereby prevents a sudden drop in chamber pressure from also equallylowering the pressure on the smaller area and thereby permitting theless rapidly dropping pressure on the larger area momentarily reclosingthe charge release valve means, with a resultant charge release insteps.

. .The larger area. is provided upon an element which constitutes amovable wall of a control chamber, and pressure on its way to thestorage chamber passes through the control chamber, but

, is precluded from reverse flow from the storage chamber to the controlchamber. Release of the charge is effected by discontinuing pressuresup- Iplyto the control chamber and venting the latter. Venting meanshas been provided of such 5 .a nature that it may be arranged near butoutside of the face of the material to bebroken in which the shell ispositioned, but such an arrangement, as so far constructed, ispermanently attached to the short tubular connection .50 which is fixedto the shell in communication with the control chamber in the latter.Were it possible to effect automatic disconnection of a control devicefrom this short tubular connection at will, it wouldautomatically followthat damage to the s'gtubing would be diminished, and the full crosssectional area of the tubular connection would inevitably be availablefor rapid reduction of control chamber pressure. It will hereinafter benoted that my invention accomplishes this result.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved blastingapparatus. A second object is to provide an improved material breakingmethod. Another object is to provide an improved apparatus for efiectingcharge release from a blasting cartridge in which a substantial quantityof highly compressed gas is imprisoned. Another object of the inventionis to provide an improved means for both efiecting the release of thecharge from a high-.pressure-gas charged cartridge, and fordisconnecting the cartridge .from a supply line which leads thereto.Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved devicefor efiecting the automatic release of the charge from a gas-chargedcartridge upon the attainment of the desired pressure in such cartridge,and incorporating in said apparatus means whereby the discharge pressuremay be selected at will. Other objects and advantages of the inventionwill be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the accompanying drawings there are shown for purposes ofillustration two forms which the invention may assume in practice,together with a detail modification.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view showing the association of ablasting cartridge and the improved controlmeans therefor, in workingrelation to a coal-seam.

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section through the controlling meansshown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are transverse sections respectively on planescorresponding to the section lines 3-3,. 4 4, and 5--5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 .is a detail of a modified sealing and connecting arrangement.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view, similar to Fig. 2, showing a modifiedembodiment.

Fig. 8 is a detail section on a plane corresponding to line 8-8 of Fig.7.

Fig. 9 is a transverse section on a plane corresponding to the line 9-9of Fig. '7, and

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of the cartridge disclosed in acoal seam in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, it will be observed i that a blastingcartridge or shell I, which may advantageously be of the constructionshown in Fig. 10 and in the application of one Frank H. Armstrong,Serial No. 18,579, filed April 27, 1935, is disposed in a bore 2 formedin the material to be broken down, herein coal, 3, in a position nearthe top of the coal, which has been undercut at i. ressure fluid issupplied to the cartridge l by way of a connection or pig-tail 5, hroughthe improved control mechanism generally designated 6, from a supplyline l, which may be connected to a suitable receiver or, more commonly,to high pressure compressor which may be arranged at a suitable distancefrom the cartridge and the working face.

The mode of operation of the system illustrated, is to con-duct thepressure, as the same is pumped up in the compressor (not shown),through the control mechanism 6 to the control chamber in the shell, andthence to the charge receiving chamber of the latter, and upon the at;tainment of a predetermined desired pressure, governed by the adjustmentof the apparatus 6 itself, to effect an automatic disconnection of theapparatus 6 from the cartridge, by disconnection from the relativelyshort lead or pigtail 5, and thereby vent the control chamber of thecartridge so that the cartridge will be discharged.

Referring toFig. 2, it will be noted that the connection I is held byany suitable nut device 8 in sealing relation with a perforated abutmentmember El, arranged at one end of a chamber It in a housing H. The otherend of the housing is connectible with the tubular connection orpig-tail 5 by releasable means hereinafter described. Within the chambertil is pressure responsive means, operative on attainment of the desiredpressure to provide the force and motion necessary to effect release ofthe pig-tail holding means Herein this takes the form of an initiallyflattened tube, but widely varied forms may be assumed. One end of acentrally partially flattened metallic tubular member 52 is arranged insealing engagement with the threaded member 9, while the other end abutsagainst a perforated washer 53. A port Hi through an alined flexiblesealing washer l5 connects the bore of the tube, through the bore of thewasher it, with the bore of the flexible lead 5. A bore ll opensradially out of the chamber I0 and forms a guideway for a rounded-endedplunger element 88. The lower end of the plunger element in Fig. 2 restsupon the flattened portion of the tubular element l2. A strong lever 2|is mounted, with some play, upon a heavy pivot pin 22 at one end, andits opposite end extends into position for engagement with a pivotallymounted latch element 23. The latter is swingable upon a pivot pin 24and is, when free, held in its dotted position (released position) by aspring 25.

'The latch member has a manual controlling portion 26 and a threadedface-portion 27 which is adapted to engage with threads 28 formed uponthe tubular flexible lead or pig-tail 5. The central portion of the bodyH may be formed with projecting threads 30 and the back of the lever iiis threaded at Si so that these parts may coact with threads upon aninternally threaded member 32.

The function of the member 32 is to provide suflicient resistance tooutward swing of the lever 2! to preclude release of the latch 23 untilthe desired pressure is attained. It will be noted that the member 32may be adjusted along the threaded periphery of the threaded member H,and that as it approaches the pivot pin 22 the pressure necessary toexpand it sufiiciently to release the latch will diminish, while as themember 32 is moved toward the free end of the lever 2| a greaterpressure will be requisite to expand it sufficiently to allowdisengagement between the free end of the lever and the latch 23. With aconstruction in which the ratio of the full length of the lever 2! tothe distance between the locus of the ring 32 and the pivot 22 isrelatively great, so that the movement of the free end of the leverrelative to the latch will be comparatively large compared with thenecessary increase in diameter of the member 32, the member 32 may bemade as a continuous, suitable, spring steel or other relatively elasticmetal annulus. Because of the relatively small extensibility of metalsbefore their yield point is reached, however, more satisfactory resultswill be obtained in general through the use of an elastic metallic ringsplit at one portion with its ends adjacent the split pressed togetherby a powerful spring. Other suitable constructions would include a ringsplit at diametrically opposite points and spring-held together, or ahinged ring, or a multi-part ring with a heavy spring surrounding itsperiphery; and various other arrangements whereby the necessary capacityfor yielding, coupled with the necessary resistance to yielding, may beobtained, will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.Moreover, a solid ring of suitable size and material, replaceable aftereach charge-release, may be used as a rupturable control element, ifthat be desired, as the feature of automatic release of the pig-tail atthe desired pressure within the control device is independent of theparticular limit determining means.

Before describing the mode of operation of the apparatus so farmentioned, it is desired to call attention to the fact that it ispossible, as shown in Fig. 6, to provide a conical seat 42 on thehousing member i l, employ a washer 43 adjacent the flared end id of theconnection, and use an externally threaded tubular member 45 surroundingthe lead 5 and having a polygonal turning portion 38 and eifect anadjustment relative to the threads 27 after the parts are brought intoassembled relation, thereby to effect a very positive and effectiveseal, and also to facilitate the latching operation.

The mode of operation of the device heretofore described may now bereadily understood. It will be evident that with the parts arranged asshown in Figs. 1 and 2, if a compressor whose discharge is connectedwith the pipe I be set in operation, fluid will flow through theconnection l, through the member 9 and through the passage in thetubular member l2, through the passage M, and through the lead 5 orpig-tail into the cartridge I, where it will ultimately enter the chargereceiving chamber in the latter and be there entrapped. Depending uponthe position of the member 32 longitudinally of the member l l and uponits construction, it will be evident that, before the increasingpressure therein will be enabled to round out the tube l2, and therebypress the member is outwardly suificiently so that the free end of lever2! may release the latch 23, a wide range of pressures may be madenecessary. When the desired pressure for which the apparatus is set isattained, the inner edge or corner of the free end of the lever M willclear the point 23 of the latch the latter, by the spring 25 and also bythe wedge action of the threads 28, will be snapped into releasedposition, and the housing M will be disconnected from the lead 5.

Thereupon the lead 5 or pig-tail will be vented to atmosphere and willitself vent the control chamber of the cartridge I and cause thedischarge of the charge from the cartridge. A new, deformable element 52may be used each time if desired, or this element may be appropriatelyre- .deformed to its initial condition and re-used.

With other constructions of this member, the step of re-deforming may beeliminated.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 illustrate another possible construction. Here it willbe noted that the supply connection 1, adjustable holding means therefor8, abutment 9, fiuid-expansible member i2, releasable connection 5, andlatch 23 are all substantially the same as in the first illustrativeembodiment. The lever 25 is here mounted upon the eccentric pin portion50 of a short, transverselyextending, rotatable shaft which is providedwith worm teeth 52 near its outer end, and which is rotatable by avertical worm-like member 53 having a squared head 55 by which the samemay be turned. The rear end of the lever 2 I is slotted as at 55, andits rear end may be closed by a transverse pin, if desired. The member32 is made up of upper and lower pivotally connected halves 32 and 32and at the side thereof opposite the pivot 5'5 there is an appropriateheavy spring 58 for clamping the halves 32 and 32 with the threadsthereon in tight engagement with the member ii. In this construction theouter surface of the lever 2i is not threaded, so that the pin iiil maymove the lever longitudinally without dif culty. The pin 59 may be inbottom position, or in rearward position, when it is desired to connectthe control device to a pig-tail, and then moved through 90 or 180,

' counterclockwise, by the member 53 and threads 52to locate the latch.23 very tightly in engagement with the threaded end of the pig-tail 5.Further description of this structure is unnecessary, in view of whathas previously been said.

It will be evident from the description so far given that I haveprovided an improved controlling apparatus for a gas charged shell, thatthis apparatus is simple, not expensive, and provides for discharge atdifferent predetermined pressures depending upon where the member 32 isset with respect to the length of the casing II and the construction ofsaid member,'the pressure necessary to effect flexing of the tube walls.to

' force the member !8 out and disengage the latch increasing as themember 32 is moved toward the right hand end of the casing member H andwith the relative inflexibility of member 32. It will be noted,moreover, that when the mechanism 6 is disconnected from the lead, thelatter is not only opened to atmosphere for the full bore area, butalsofreed from the main supply line, and accordingly should there be anymarked movement of the shell away from its initial position, there willbe no tendency to deform the main supply connection 1.

In Fig. 10, there is disclosed in detail the form of cartridge which isdescribed and claimed in the aforementioned application filed by FrankH. Armstrong. This cartridge comprises a tubular casing 5t having achamber 6| for receiving a charge of high pressure gas, as for examplehighly compressed air; and threaded within the inner end of this casingis a discharge cap 62 having an axial discharge orifice 63 communicatingwith the pressure chamber BI and connected by a series of generallyradial, outwardly inclined discharge ports 64 with the shell exterior.Threadedly secured within the outer end of the casing 613 is a controlcap 85 having a control chamber 66 containing a reciprocable controlpiston 61.

The piston rod 68 of this piston extends inwardly within the pressurechamber BI and has fixed to its inner extremity a pressure release valve69 adapted to seat at H on the inner end of the discharge cap to preventcommunication of the discharge orifice 63 with the pressure chamber.Positioned between the'inner end of the control cap 65 and an internalannular shoulder 12 formed within the casing Bil, is a heavy steel plateor disc 13 to which is secured a hat leather Hi, surrounding and adaptedto seat on the exterior surface of the valve rod 68, which passestherethrough. The piston 61 consists of a steel plunger 15 carrying acup leather 16 held in position by a keeper 'll threaded on the valverod 68. Threaded at 18 within the control cap 65 is the pig-tail 5adapted to communicate with a suitable source of high pressure gas or tobe vented; and this pig-tail is connected through an axial passage 80with the control chamber 66 at the outer side of the control piston. Asuitable check valve 8| with check spring 82 is provided in the plunger15 as means for permitting the flow of high pressure gas from thecontrol chamber 66 at the outer side of the control piston, through anaxial passage 83 in the valve rod and communicating radial passages 84,into the main chamber 6| of the shell, but preventing flow in thereverse direction. A restricted radial passage 85 in the rod 68 extendsfrom the axial passage 83 to the exterior of the valve rod, and islocated at such a point that its outer end, when the piston and valveassembly is in the position shown in Fig. 10, communicates with the mainchamber BI, and when the piston and valve assembly is moved rearwardly,communicates with the space between the inner side of the control pistonand the disc 13, thereby connecting this space with the chamber El, andso to atmosphere, noting that the valve 69 is then open.

The mode of operation of this cartridge is generally described at thebeginning of this specification and such description need not berepeated at this point as the cartridge per se forms no part of thepresent invention.

While there are in this application specifically described two formswhich the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood thatthese forms of the same are shown for purposes of illustration and thatthe invention may be modified and embodied in various other formswithout departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a blasting cartridge for containing a charge ofgaseous medium at a blasting pressure, charge release means including arelease valve and means for controlling the same including a controlchamber through which said cartridge is charged and reduction of thepressure in which to a predetermined amount below cartridge pressureeffects charge release, and means for connecting said chamber with asource of charging pressure including a device operative automaticallyupon attainment of a predetermined charge pressure in the cartridge tovent to the atmosphere the charge in the control chamber bydisconnecting the cartridge from its source of supply, whereby therelease valve of the cartridge will be actuated to efiect release of theblasting charge.

2. In combination, a blasting cartridge for containing a charge ofgaseous medium at a blasting pressure, charge release means including arelease valve and means for controlling the same including a controlchamber through which said cartridge is charged and reduction of thepressure in which to a predetermined amount below 5 cartridge pressureeffects charge release, and

means for connecting said chamber with a source of charging pressureincluding a device operative automatically to effect disconnection ofsaid cartridge and reduction of the pressure in said control chamberupon attainment of a predetermined pressure in said device, said deviceinclud ing a releasable coupling and means operable by the chargingpressure for actuating said releasable coupling.

3. In combination, a blasting cartridge for containing a charge ofgaseous medium at a blasting pressure, charge release means including arelease valve and means for controlling the same including a controlchamber through which said cartridge is charged and reduction of thepressure in which to a predetermined amount below cartridge pressureeffects charge release, and means for connecting said chamber with asource of charging pressure including a device through which the chargepasses on its way into the cartridge and operative automatically toeffect disconnection of said cartridge and reduction of the pressure inthe control chamber upon attainment of a predetermined charge pressure,said device including a releasable connection, and charge pressurecontrolled means for preventing release operation'of said connectionuntil subjected to a predetermined pressure.

4. In combination, a blasting cartridge for containing a charge ofgaseous medium at a blasting pressure, charge release means including arelease valve and means for controlling the same including a controlchamber through which said cartridge is charged and reduction of thepres sure in which to a predetermined amount below cartridge pressureeffects charge release, and means for connecting said chamber with asource of charging pressure including a device through which the chargepasses on its way into the cartridge and operative automatically toeffect disconnection of said cartridge and reduction of the pressure inthe control chamber upon attainment of a predetermined pressure in saiddevice, said device including a releasable coupling, and a chargepressure controlled clamp for restraining release operation of saidcoupling until subjected to a predetermined pressure.

5. In combination, a blasting cartridge for containing a charge ofgaseous medium at a blasting pressure, charge release means including arelease valve and means for controlling the same including a controlchamber through which said cartridge is charged and reduction of thepressure: in which to a predetermined amount below cartridge pressureeffects charge release, and means for connecting said chamber with asource of charging pressure including a device operative automaticallyto effect disconnection of said cartridge and reduction of the pressurein said control chamber upon attainment of any one of a series ofselected predetermined charge pressures.

6. In combination, a blasting cartridge for containing a charge ofgaseous medium at a blasting pressure, charge release means including arelease valve and means for controlling the same including a controlchamber through which said cartridge is charged and reduction of thepressure in which to a predetermined amount below cartridge pressureeffects charge release,

and means for connecting said chamber with a source of charging pressureincluding a device operative automatically to effect disconnection ofsaid cartridge and reduction of the pressure in said control chamberupon attainment of any one of a series of selected predeterminedpressures in said device, said device including a releasable coupling,and charge pressure operated means for restraining actuation of saidreleasable coupling including an adjustable, yieldable restrainingelement.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, a member having provisionfor the flow therethrough of a cartridge charging medium and havingtherein a device responsive to the pressure flowing therethrough, acartridge charging conduit, means for clamping the same to said member,and means for effecting release of said clamping means governed by saidpressure responsive device.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, a member having provisionfor the flow therethrough of a cartridge charging medium and havingtherein a device responsive to the pressure flowing therethrough, acartridge charging conduit, means for clamping the same to said member,and means for effecting release of said clamping means governed by saidpressure responsive device and including a latch controlled by thelatter.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, a member having aconnection at one end to a source of cartridge charging pressure, at itsother end a releasable connection to a cartridge charging line, andbetween said ends a conduit for connecting said lines, and meansgoverned by the pressure in said conduit for effecting release of thelatter connection.

10. In an apparatus of the character described, a member having aconnection at one end to a source of cartridge charging pressure, at itsother end a releasable connection to a cartridge charging line, andbetween said ends a conduit for connecting said lines, and meansgoverned by the pressure in said conduit for effecting release of thelatter connection including a connection holding device and a latchtherefor movable in response to pressure rise in said conduit.

11. In apparatus of the character described, a charge feeding connectionfor a blasting car tridge, a conduit through which a charging mediumflows, and means for coupling said conduit to said feeding connectionincluding conduit gripping means, restraining means for said grippingmeans, and means directly responsive to the charge pressure fordisplacing said restraining means to automatically effect uncoupling ofsaid conduit upon attainment of any one of a series of selectedpredetermined pressures in said de vice.

12. In apparatus of the character described, a charge feeding connectionfor a blasting cartridge, a conduit through which a charging mediumflows, and means for coupling said conduit to said feeding movableconduit including a connection clamping device, and means responsive tothe pressure in said coupling means for restraining said device againstmovement until subjected to a predetermined pressure whereupon it willeffect release of said clamping device.

13. In apparatus of the character described, a charge feeding connectionfor a blasting cartridge, a conduit through which a charging mediumflows, and means for coupling said conduit to said feeding connectionincluding a movable connection clamping device, means for holding saidclamping device against movement to release said connection, and meansresponsive to the pressure in said coupling means for displacing saidholding means to permit release movement of said clamping device.

14. In apparatus of the character described, a charge feeding connectionfor a blasting cartridge, a conduit through which a charging mediumflows, and means for coupling said conduit to said feeding connectionincluding a movable connection clamping device, means for holding saidclamping device against movement to release said connection, and meansadjustable so as to be responsive to any one of a series of selectedpredetermined pressures in said coupling 7 means for displacing saidholding means to permit release movement of said clamping device.

15. Apparatus of the character described com- 0 prising a charge feedingconnection for a blasting cartridge, a conduit through which a chargingmedium flows, and means for coupling said conduit to said feedingconnection including a movable connection clamping device, a latch forholding said clamping device against connection releasing movement, andpressure responsive means for tripping said latch.

16. Apparatus of the character described comprising a charge feedingconnection for a blast- 30 ing cartridge, a conduit through which acharging medium flows, and means for coupling said conduit to saidfeeding connection including a movable connection clamping device, alatch for holding said clamping device against connection releasingmovement, and means responsive to pressure in said coupling means fortripping said latch.

17. Apparatus of the character described comprising a charge feedingconnection for a blasting cartridge, a conduit through which a chargingmedium flows, and means for coupling said conduit to said feedingconnection including a movable connection clamping device, a latch forholding said clamping device against connection releasing movement, andmeans adjustable so as to be responsive to any one of a plurality ofpressures in said coupling for tripping said latch.

18. Apparatus of the character described comprising a charge feedingconnectionfora blasting cartridge, a conduit through which a chargingmedium flows, and means for coupling said conduit to said feedingconnection including a movable connection clamping device, a latch forholding said clamping device against connection releasing movement, alever pivotally connected to the coupling means and engaging said latch,and pressure responsive means for holding the lever in latch engagingposition until the attainment of a predetermined pressure within saidcoupling means and then for moving the lever out of holding engagementwith the clamping device.

WARREN NOBLE.

